“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver, “The Summer Day” There’s something about the change of seasons that makes us take stock of our lives. So since the calendar, the radio DJs and the morning news anchors are crowing about the fact that today is the first day of summer, it’s the perfect time to think about what your best summer actually looks like. Maybe you’ve already been rocking your summer so far. Maybe you’re reading t

The image of kids loping off to the community fishing hole, bait in one hand, fishing poles in the other, brings to mind the long, lazy days of summer. It’s such a classic image that it’s practically sepia toned, enshrined in nostalgia alongside other icons of days gone by, like the soda fountain and the neighborhood five and dime. Except community fishing ponds aren’t just a thing of the past. There are local fishing spots all over the nation, including in my home state of N

If you’re spending summer in the city (even on a short trip) you don’t want to be weighed down with a ton of layers — or luggage! And you really don’t want to be trying on a million outfits when you could be hitting the streets or relaxing on a rooftop patio with a drink in your hand. You need a few stylish basics that can go from day to night, mix and match pieces that serve more than one purpose and comfortable footwear for walking. Everything goes with everything, each pie

Since art imitates life, I’m actually posting this article as I finish packing for my trip to Puerto Rico in just a few hours. This is usually pretty simple since I rarely check a bag. We used to tag along with my flight attendant aunt and fly standby, which meant we took whatever seats were available and we absolutely couldn’t check a bag. I got addicted to the idea of traveling light. And every time I whiz by travelers struggling with mountains of bags, I’m always glad I di

Is it summer yet? I caught up with Suzanne Monsebroten, the owner of Oh, Suzanne! a jewelry and accessories shop tucked away in a little cottage at Shady Hollow Flea Market just outside of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Her shop does a brisk business with women who combine a bohemian look with eye-catching accents. Since she both sells and sees summer accessories all day long, she’s a great source to tell us what’s next this season. I can see why. The graphic brights look great ag

Lot 2029 is now open in Fargo and I can tell you right now, it’s going to be addictive for me! Owner, buyer and designer Hope Wald stocks a well edited selection of frothy dresses, fashion forward separates and edgy accessories at very reasonable prices. So who is Lot 2029 trying to reach? “People who are excited about fashion,” said Hope. “People are so excited to see something new come to Fargo, something not so mainstream so you can find those limited quantities and still

And they’re super easy to make. It’s the quality of ingredients that matter. Here’s what you need: Fresh Mint – I plant Chef Jeff’s Mojito Mint — it smells amazing when you brush against it and tastes awesome — but any spearmint is fine. Even peppermint works in a pinch, although I’m sure purists would disagree with me. Grocery stores stock mint in their produce coolers, but your best bet is to head to an ethnic grocery or farmers market to get it for half the price. Whatever

“These summer nights are short. Going to bed before midnight is unthinkable and talk, wine, moonlight and the warm air are often in league to defer it one, two or three hours more. It seems only a moment after falling asleep out of doors that dawn touches one gently on the shoulder, and, completely refreshed, up one gets, or creeps into the shade or indoors for another luxurious couple of hours. The afternoon is the time for real sleep: into the abyss one goes to emerge when